Gas-operated firearm



No. 62|,747. .Y Patented Mar. 2|, |899. J. M. BROWNING.

GAS DPERATED FIREARM.

(Application led Dec. 28, 1897.)

(no Mom.) 2 sheets-sheet l.

c' @u C 6 www ZI 6, of a2 1 Patented Mar. 2|, |899.

J. M. BRDWNING. GASDPBATED FIBEARM.

(Application filed Dec. 28, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 sheds-sheet 2.

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UNiTnn STATES PATENT JOHN M. BROWNING, OF OGDEN, UTAH.

GASHOPERATED FIREARM.

VSPECIFICAJJION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,747, dated March21, 1899. Application med December 28,1897. Seiia1No.663,845. (Nomodelsiding at Ogden, in the county of Veber and State of Utah, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Firearms, of which the followingis a specilication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part hereof.

This invention relates generally to automatic breech-loadin g firearms,and more especially to firearms of this description in which the severaloperationssuch as the openingof the breech after ring a shot, theejection of the empty cartridge-shell, the cooking of the hammer, thepresentation and introduction of a fresh cartridge into the chamber ofthe barrel, and the closing of the breech-are automatically effected bythe pressure in the barrel of the gases generated by the explosion ofthe cartridge.

My invention comprises, further, improvements in rearms of the classdescribed in United States Patent No. 580,926, applied for by me andgranted April 20, 1897, said patent containing some of the features ofthe complete rearm which I have illustrated and described herein for thepurpose of enabling my present invention to be understood. Such featuresas are common to the two constructions will be referred to herein so faras may be necessary to enable the present invention to be understood;but the description which follows will relate particularly to the novelfeatures of this case.

The main object which I have had in view has been the production of afirearm of the class referred to which should be simple and inexpensivein construction, not liable to get out of order, and reliable and safein operation under all conditions of use.

I have hereinafter shown and described nly present improvements asadapted to a gasoperated magazine-pistol; but I have chosen thisparticular kind of firearm merely as a convenient illustration of anembodiment of my invention and do not intend to restrict y my inventionto an application thereof to a tion, Figure l is a left-hand' sideelevation of the pistol with the breech closed. Figs. 2 and 3 arerespectively rear and front end views of the same. Fig. 4 is alongitudinal section, on a vertical plane, with the breech closed.

have illustrated an embodiment of my inven- Fig. 5 is a longitudinalsection, on a vertical fixed in the frame, and a sliding breech-piece c.The upper portion of the frame d forms the receiver and has'a seat andsuitable guides for the reciprocating breech-piece, and below thereceiver is the grip or handle a', which is preferably made integralwith the frame, but

obviously may be formed separately and attached thereto in any suitablemanner. Within the grip and extending through the same upward into thereceiver is arranged a seat or chamber for the reception of thecartridgemagazine d. The latter is substantially of ordinary form andconstruction and may consist of a sheet-metal tube, in which thecartridges are laid one upon another, resting upon a spring-follower, bywhich they are pushed upward into the receiver: It is convenientlyretained in place within the grip by a spring-actuated latch d. Itsupper end is open to permit the escape of the cartridges, the side Wallsat the rear of the opening being turned in to engage the rim or liangeof the topmost cartridge and prevent the escape of the same from theholder except when it is pushed forward, as hereinafter described.

The barrel b is secured to the receiver in any usual or suitable mannerand extends forwardly from the same to the desired length. The upperportion of the frame is provided interiorly with longitudinal ribs andgrooves a3 0,4, Fig. 2, to engage corresponding ribs and grooves c3 c4of the breech-piece c or of that portion c of it which may be moreproperly designated as the breech-bolt, the said breech-bolt orbreech-piece being thereby held to the frame and guided thereon in itsreciprocation. On the top of the breech-bolt IOO c is a stronglongitudinal rib c2, to which the portion c5 of the breech-piece issecured firmly by means of screws c6, which pass transversely throughsaid portion c5 and the rib, the central portion of the rib beingincreased in width braces the forward portion of the barrel, an

open space being left between the rear end of said sleeve c7 and thepart of the frame a supporting the barrel to allow for the longitudinalmovement of the sleeve with the slide and breech-bolt. The slide c5 isbored out to form a longitudinal chamber from the breechbolt forward toreceive the reaction-sprin g e,

and at the front this chamber is closed by a screw-plug o8.

The reaction-spring e is a strong spiral spring,the rear end of whichstands against the shoulder a2 of the frame, which at the breech end ofthe barrel projects upward into the chamber of the slide c5. A pluge issecured to the forward end of the spring e and is fitted to slide freelyin the chamber of the slide.

The forward part of ,the top rib c2 of the breech-bolt is divided by avertical cut, forming a seat for the lever Z, which is pivotallyattached to the rib c2 and depends through a vertical opening in thebody of the breechbolt c. To the central part of the lever Z is attachedthe connecting-rod Z', which extends forward from the lever through acut in the part a2 of the frame and through the spring c to the plug c',which is firmly attached to the for` ward end of the rod Z', therebymaintaining the reaction-spring e in a state of compression. Vhen thebreech-bolt is moved to the rear, either by hand or by the powder-gases,the breech end of the barrel is opened,and through the describedconnection the reaction-spring e is further compressed, so that on therelease of the breech-bolt the spring e returns the slide and thebreech-bolt to their forward position, and thereby closes the barrel.The rear end of the sleeve c7 and the face of that portion of the framea which supportsl the barrel limit the rearward movement of the slidingbreech piece or slide and breech-bolt. The space between the sleeve andthe frame when the formeris in its forward position is covered by ashield or cover a5, which I'v prefer to makel integral with the frame,and which extends forward from the frame to the sleeve withoutinterfering with the movements of the latter. As described heretofore,cartridges are pressed upward from the holder or magazine CZ, but areheld from escaping therefrom. Nevertheless the rim or iiange of thetopmost cartridge rises above the holder as soon as the The part c5slides upon the frame breech-bolt c has passed to the rear of theholder, so that in the forward or closing mo vement of the breech-piecethe face of the breechbolt engages the topmost cartridge and pushes itdirectly from the holder into the chamber of the barrel. Vhen thecartridge is exploded, the breech-bolt is driven backward by thepowder-gases, and in its movement it effects the extraction of the emptyshell from the chamber of the barrel and its ejection from the receiver.For this purpose an extractorf of usual construction is arranged in theside of the breech-bolt c to engage the head or flange of the cartridgeduring the closing movement and to extract the shell from the chamber ofthe barrel during the opening movement. As the shell is drawnrearwardlyby the extractor, which engages the flange on the right-handside, the lefthand edge of the flange strikes a projection on theleft-hand side of the receiver, so that the shell is ejected through theopening a6, formed in the right-hand side of the frame for that purpose.

My improved firing mechanism varies in part from that described in mysaid patent and will be briefly explained herein, so that the operationof the firearm may be fully and clearly understood. The breech -bolt cis chamber-ed, as usual, forming a seat for the hammer Zt', the forwardpart of which forms the firing-pin, and the lever Z, passing, asdescribed above, through an opening in the body of the breech-bolt,extends into a vertical slot in the hammer Zr, and under the'action ofthe spring e and the rod Z the lever forces the hammer to its forwardposition, and

the forward movement of the rod Z is trans-` lnitted to the breech-boltc by the lever Z at its pivot and also at its point bearing against thehammer. Below the receiver and the breechbolt the sear g' is pivoted inthe frame in rear of the grip and is provided with the usual Sear-springg', and the breech-bolt is slotted, and the hammer 7a is provided withthe usual cock-notch 7c. In front of the grip the trigger 71, is pivoted in the frame, and from the trigger a connecting-piece 7L' extendsto the sear and serves to transmit the rearward movement of the triggerto the sear without interfering with the cartridge-m agazine. The springh2 returns connecting-piece h and the trigger 7L to the forward positionwhen the latter has been released. When the breechbolt is moved to therear in opening the breech end of the barrel, the hammerh` moves with itand the notch Zt passes to the rearof the scar-nose, Fig. 5. On therelease of the breech-bolt the extension of the spring e, transmittedthrough the rod Z/ to the lever Z, causes the latter to return thebreech-bolt forward; but when the notch 7c arrives above the Sear-nosethe latter enters the notch and retains the hammer at f ull-cock, asshown in Fig. 4C and in Fig. 4 in dotted lines. During the remainder 0fthe closing movement the extension of the spring e is transmitted to theIOC) IIO

breech-piece through the lever Z at its pivot only, and when thebreech-bolt arrives fully forward the lever Z assumes the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 4, inclining rearward from its pivot and itspoint resting against the forward portion of the hammer. It now thetrigger is pulled rearward, the sear-nose is moved down out of the pathof the hammer and the latter is thrown forward by the lever Z under theforce of the spring e. In this manner the spring c not only serves toclose the barrel, but also causes the hammer to strike the firing blowuponthe cartridge and thus makes the addition of the usual mainspringfor this purpose unnecessary.

For perfect safety in handling and carrying this pistol even when loadedand with the hammer at full-cock I have provided a strong horizontalholt t', which passes transversely through the frame below thebreech-bolt and between the sear and the hammer, Figs. l, lb, 4, 4, 5,and 6. On the outside of the frame the safety-bolt z' has a handle t",by which it may be turned through an angle of about ninety degrees,Figs. l and lb, and segments of the bolt z' are cut away, so that if itis turned to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the breech-bolt may bemoved rearward and the sear may be moved to release the hammer. lnthebottom of the breech-boltl provide a transverse recess i2, which standsabove the safety-bolt t' when the breech-bolt is closed, Figs. 4 and 4,and into which a portion of thebolt enters if itis turned from theposition shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 4, thus securely lockingthe breech-bolt in its forward or closed position. In this position thecentral part of the safety-bolt fi bears against a shoulder formed onthe sear g above its pivot, Fig. 4, and positively locks the sear andprevents it from releasing the hammer,if the latter is in thefull-cocked position. As the hammer cannot be seen when the breech isclosed, I provide a projecting point Z2 on the lever Z in front of itspivot. This point can be seen in the'levers seat from the outside whenthe hammer is forward, but disappears when the latter is cocked, thusserving as an index to show the position of the hammer, Fig. 4.

In Fig. G a convenient method ofyieldingly retaining the safety-bolt iin either of its positions is shown. For this purpose I arrange in theside of the frame a hole radial to the bolt i and in it ashortpiston, aspiral spring and screw-plug closing the hole. The piston has aconical'point, and two correspondinglyshaped recesses in the safety-bolti serve to yieldingly hold the latterin its two positions.

In Figs.- l and l I have shown a novel, simple, and efficient way ofremovably attaching the cheek-pieces upon the pistol-grip when theinterior of the latter is' utilized as a magazine-seat. On the innersurface of each cheek-piece ml form a part m', which slightly projectsinto lthe opening in each side of the .by hand.

grip, thus preventing the cheek-pieces from moving in any direction butoutward. Upon the part m each cheek-piece has a plate 'm2 of oblongshape and attached to the cheekpiece, so that it may be readily turnedfrom the outside, as by a stud and a nut 'm3, provided on the outsidewith a slot. 'Vithin each side of the grip a shallow partly-circularrecess forms a seat for the oblong plate, which in the position showninFigs. l and 4 securely locks the cheek-piece in place, while to removeit the nut m3, and with it the plate m2, is turned through an angle ofninety degrees, whereby plate and cheek-piece are released.

For the better lateral support of the breechbolt in its closed positiona stud b2 projects from the barrel h and enters a corresponding recessc9 in the face of the breech-bolt c when the latter is 4in its forwardposition. The stud b2 also assists in the proper introduction of eachcartridge into the barrel as it guides the bullet end of the cartridge.

Frompthe foregoing description it will be understood that thebreech-bolt is not positively locked in the closed position, but isyieldingly held in such position by the reaction-spring e. On firing thebreeclrbolt yields to the pressure of the powder-gases in the bar,- rel,which pressure forces the cartridge-shell and breech-bolt rearward. Bymy construction I am enabled to make the frame and the barrel of suchlightness that the breech-bolt and the breech-sl ide,togetherconstituting the @breech-piece, as it has been denominated herein, maybe of great strength and Weight, and as the inertia of these parts hasto be overcome in opening the barrel their weight serves as a safeguardby retarding the opening until the bullet has passed from the muzzle.The momentum of the heavy breech bolt and slide completes the rearwardmovement after the pressure in the barrel has been relieved, insures theextraction and ejection of the cartridge-shell, and stores energy in thereaction spring for the closing movement without exposing this spring tothe shock which would be occasioned if the breech-piece were of lighterweight. The strength of the movable parts and the fact that the front ofthe frame serves as a stop to arrest their rearward movement insures thesafety of the arm even if the reaction-spring should break.

The operation of the improved firearm will be readily understood fromthe foregoing. A lled cartridge-holder is inserted in the grip and thebreech-slide is drawn rearward once Y This opens the barrel, cocksthehammer, presents a cartridge in front of the breech-bolt, andcompresses the reactionspring. Vthen the breech-slide .or breechpiece isreleased, the reaction-spring returns it to the forward position andtransfers the topmost cartridge from the holder to the barrel. If nowthe trigger is pulled and a shot fired, th'ebarrel lis automaticallyopened, the hammer is again cocked, the empty shell is IOO IIO

extracted and ejected, and a new cartridge is arm which for purposes ofexplanation I haveshown and described herein, nor are they necessarilyemployed in a firearm of the particular character of that shown.Obviously also various changes in form and arrangement of parts may bemade within the scope of my invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a firearm, the combination with a frame and a barrel carried bysaid frame, of a sliding breech-bolt, a forward extension attached tosaid breechbolt and extending alongside the frame and barrel, andchambered 1ongitudinally,a shoulder on said frame projecting into thechamber of said extension, a reaction-spring disposed within saidextension, having its rear end supported by said shoulder on the frameand having its forward end fitted to freely slide in said extension, anda connecting-rod having its forward end secured to the forward end ofsaid reactionspring, and passing through said reactionspring and throughsaid shoulder on the frame, and having its rear end pivotally connectedwith said breech-bolt.

2. In a firearm, the combination with a frame and a barrel carried bysaid frame, of a sliding breech-bolt, a forward extension or armattached to said breech-bolt and extending forward alongside of theframe and the barrel, and bored out or chambered longitudinally, areaction-spring disposed within said extension or arm and having itsrear end supported by said frame, a hammer arranged within saidbreech-bolt, a lever pivoted in said breech-bolt and extending into arecess in said hammer, and a rod having its rear end connected to saidlever and having its forward end connected to the forward end of saidreaction-spring.

3. In a firearm, the combination with a frame having a grip or handle toreceive a magazine, and a barrel, of a sliding breechbolt, a forwardextension attached to said breech bolt and extending alongside the frameand barrel, and chambered longitudinally, said extension having 4asleeve surrounding the barrel, a shoulder on said frame projecting intothe chamber of said extension, a reaction-spring disposed within saidextension and having its rear end supported by said'shoulder on theframe and having its forward end fitted to freely slide in saidextension, a connecting-rod having its forward end secured to theforward end of said reaction-spring, and passing through saidreaction-spring and through said shoulder on the frame and having itsrear end pivotally connected with said breech-bolt, andcartridgeexploding, shell-extracting and shell-ejecting devices carriedwith said breech-bolt.

4. In a firearm, the combination with a frame having a grip or handle toreceive a magazine, and a barrel, of Va sliding breechbolt, a forwardextension or arm attached to said breech-bolt and extending forwardalongside the frame and barrel, said extension .or arm being bored outor chambered longitudinally and having a sleeve surrounding the barrel,a reaction-spring disposed within said extension or arm and having itsrear end supported by said frame, a hammer carried by said breech-bolt,alever pivot'ed in said breechbolt and connected with said hammer, aconnecting-piece between said lever and the forward end of saidreaction-spring, and shellextracting and shell-ejecting devices carriedwith said breech-bolt.

5. In a firearm the combination with a frame, a barrel carried by saidframe, a sliding breech-bolt and a hammer arranged within saidbreech-bolt, of a lever pivoted in said breech-bolt and engaging saidhammer, and a reaction-spring supported at one end by said frame andhaving its other end connected with said lever.

6. The combination with the grip of a pistolframe, of a cheek-piece,having a projection to enter the opening in the side of the grip, anoblong plate movably attached to the cheek-piece, a recess within thegrip for the reception of the ends of said oblongplate, and means forturning said plate to engage said recess, and to disengage it therefrom.

This specification signed and witnessed this 15th day of December, A. D.1897.

JOHN M. BROVNING.

In presence of- KATE LINEHAM, M. J. HALL.

